Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-08

McClernand's division in full retreat over
upon Gen. Buckner, when, by attack in
flank and rear, they could cut up the enemy
and put him completely to rout.n
Pillows attack was sudden and furious
Reveille was just sounding in Netherlands
camp, and the troops were not under arms
when the onset was made. There was con-
fusion, there was danger that the whole right
wing of the Federal army would be routed
In a few minutes though, in scarcely more
time than it takes to write it, Netherlands
men, gun in hand, had their faces toward the
foe
The account of the fierce onset and shock,
aud its reception by the Federal soldiers,
read like some of Cansar's battles with the
Gauis. Gen Oglesby, Of Illinois, who com
manded brigade on the right, received the
first tremendous attack. His men returned
fire till their ammunition gave out They
snatched up the cartridge boxes from the dead
and dying and poured their contents into the
foe till that too gave out. Then Col W. H.
l.. Wallace's brigade went TO the rescue
That at length quailed before the "trebly
laundering attack A Iamented statesman,
who has lately passed TO the realm of the I'M
seen, distinguished himself CALAMITY here
He was then colonel of the Thirty-first Iii.
nois and his name was John A. Logan He
was here and there and everywhere in that
battle, showering electric words upon his
men, his dark face lit with excitement. his
eye shining like an eagles By the magnet
ism of his personal influence he prevented a
panic and a rout early in the day
Netherlands division, with Taylors,
Dressers and McAllister's batteries of light
artillery, met the Confederate onset braveIy
and well. To the right of Oglesby still was
Gen Macarthur nearest the river. He had
been ordered there the night before, with
troops who had had no food all day. They
passed the night in the snow and sleet, with
ont fires or shelter. Gen. Macarthur had had
no time to become acquainted with the nature
OF the ground. He only knew that he faced
Fort Donelson. The Confederate design was
to make dash and get cavalry in his rear.
and then with cavalry to rear of him. infantry
before. he would be powerless.
Soldiers do not always find it easy to fight
on full stomach, but McArthur's men had
TASTED thirty-six hours. IN this state of hun
ger they were when they heard at o'clock in
the morning the firing on Oglesby on their
left. As soon as it was heard. without wait
ing for orders, Macarthur formed his empty
stomached men in line of battle They took
lively hand in the fight But presently
worse trouble than empty Stomachs con-
fronted them, and that was empty cartridge
boxes Before that obstacle thcS were indeed
powerless, and so the brigade fell back some
hundreds of yards to the rear and took up a
a..
that toward night they got one square meal
and then moved over 10 the left Of the Federal
forces to support the troops fighting there.
The morning progressed II began to look
indeed Us if Pillow was going To carry out his
threat to roll the enemy over" McArthur's
brigade had cruGlhcd away. SO had
Oglesby's Met lernand's division was in the
gIavest danger In the center Lew Wallace,
with the Third division, was living inactive
His orders were to act on the defensive and
watch the Confrlcra:es to prevent their cs
Gaping his way.
Pillow S GIvi sion, i'll deploying, spread whlcI
and wider, aiad more and more toward Low
Wallace. McCielmand's division began 70
waver. Three Confederate batteries, Mancy's,
Porter's and Graves, poured stcad1 fire into
men, with Forests cavalry hitting about the
outskirts
The three Federal batteries had exhausted
their ammunition Taylor'S alone had fired
that morning l, 100 rounds. Buckner had or
dered an advance of three regiments before
noon They had been met with II binding
fire from Col W. II l.. Wailace's brigade
Snow flying in the nir confused them SO that
they could not set their way besides, and
they fell back TO their entertainments in dis
order.
But presently Buckner gathered his forces
and came calamity on again.
McCle1nand sent word to Lew Wallace to
aid him In the absence of positive orders
from headquarters Wallace declined to move.
The place grew hotter and hotter Col.
John A. Logan was wounded McClernand
again sent word to Wallace, and this time
Wallace ordered forward Col Cruft's
brigade, the first in ms division. Hero an I'M
| fortunate mistake occurred. and several regi-
| ments of Federal soldiers fired into each
| other, doing serious damage Cruft's brigade
| took the places of Nc Arthur exhausted men.
| Cruft's men fought calamity, but at length
! fell back some distance and took up position
| near the hospital
When Logan was wounded he suggested ia
| Col T. +. &. Ransom, of the Eleventh Hi
nois, To take his place with the Eleventh.
| Ransom, too, had been wounded, but had had
| his wound dressed Both were heroes that
| day. Logan's regiment was quite out of am
| muuitIon, therefore forced tn fail back. when
| its commander went to have his wound
| dressed, The Thirty first marched back for
ammunition, leaving the Eleventh alone III
| the fray. But the Eleventh was attacked not
! only in front. but on both TANKS. and finally
| broke and rptreated.
Gen. Wallace still waited, with his division
| in line, for orders from Grant MCClernand'
] second message had been that his TANKS wert
| turned and his whole command was cndan
| gered. Ii was then that Col CIuft's brigade
was sent to his relief But the Confederate
pillows still swept on. Fucitiycs from tn,
fight scattered down the hill behind Wallace.
| division A mounted officer galloped by. He
| had lost his head completely, and shouted t,
| the general: I'VE are cut 10 piecesn
Then Lew Wallace took the responsibility
| Of the order of battle upon his own shoulders
Instantly he ordered up his third brigade, Col
Thayer commanding, and threw it across he
tween the broken troops and the advancing
| Confederates Other regiments were behinC
| as reserve He had barely got them in linz
| when Pillow and Buckner. combined, sweep
down upon them. The brigade stood like ,
rock. Here was some of the most splendiC
fighting of the war.
The First Nebraska regiment and Wood
Chicago light artillery received the shock
first, and here at last the Confederate billow
were thrown back They Ind struck a Sc;
wall, and could sweep no further. THEY
withdrew, said Gen. Buclner, in some con
fusion, but without panic, to the trenches
| 1t was about noon This was the end of th
sortie. Lew Wallace had saved the day u
| at Donelson.
| ,HLCDr MJhC HPhhrs